The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-03-03
Folklore.
MARRIAGE.

what meager. After invoking the aid of the
supernatural in various ways during the court
ing period, our lovers seem to become suddenly
conscious of their ability to "yo it alone" when
their love-makng efforts are crowned with
success. Here the marriage rite is in most
instances shorn of its stime-honored ceremonies,
both supcrstitouS and otherwise, and is usual
ly proceeding marked by its Puritanic sim
plieity; and it is quite likely that some of this
simplicity is of Puritanc origin. The Puritans,
as is well known, had the greatest contempt
and dislike for the ceremonies of the English
church, its marriage ceremonies with the rest.
1t Is not impossible that the generous sprnkling
OF Puritanc blood among our inhabitants and
the "Plymouth Rock influences which pre-
vailed during the early days of this section
may be at least partially accountable for the
lack OF ceremony which marks the bulk of our
marriages. However, few supcrstitions and
Old-time customs connected with marriage seem
to have survived the ordeal of Puritanic dis
favor and have been believed in and observed
here. Almost universally in the past, and
largely at the present day in England, certain
days of the week and months of the year have
been in great favor as marrying days. With
the idea of learning to what extent this is true
l have referred to the marriages in this state
as given in the newspapers for several months
past. - or 20 years ago sunday marriages
We're, think, more popular than at the present
time. have no means at hand to show the
exact proportion of Sunday marriages then
but believe it to have been much greater than
now. OF about 400 marriages reported dur
ing the past four months the proportion of
Sunday to weekday marriages was that of $ to
II. The holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and
New Years Day appear to be very popular as
days for marrying. There We're nearly three
times as many marriages solemniZcd Gil last
Thanksgiving Day as the average for the other
Der Il, or nearly onc->iNth of them. were
celebrated on Christmas. OF the january
marriages onc-lifth Were celebrated on New
Years day. As might be expected from the
bad odor in which Friday stands as !; day for
starting any project of Importance. Friday
marriages are comparatively rare. Curiou>Iy.
in Scotland Friday is popular as Il marry iny
day. One writer says 1T is welI-cStabi>hed
fact that niuc-tentliS of the marriages in Gl:>-
gov are celebrated on Friday: only 4 few ON
Tuesday and Wednesday; Saturday and Mon
day are still more rarely adopted. and never
heard of such a thing in Glasgow as a marriage
on sunday" There seems to be no particular
choice in months for marrying, if we except Il
slight prejudice which appears to exist in favor
of December. Though we may occasionally
hear the old proycrb Marry in May and ,ou'll
rue the day" it does not seem to he believed in
to have any apprccahlc effect on
the number of May marriages.
For the benefit of the >uper>titou> ho are
marriage ill give an old rhylnc
on the subject which may assist thei! in select
Ing day for having the knot tied
''Advent marriages doth leny.
But hilary gives thee liberty:
StptlEage>ima says thee nav.
Eight days from Easter says you may:
kogation bids thee to contain,
But trinity sets thee free again.
Since early times the ring has been intimately
connected with hetrothul and marriage. We
are told wedding rings We're worn bl the Jews
prior to Christian times. 1t is said wedding
rings Were originally Worn on the left hand to
signify the wife'> >ubicction to the husband.
and on the third finger because when on that
finger it pressed a vein supposed to commune
cate directly with the heart. lii parts of Europe
il wedding ring is Worn by the husband ;> well
one of the ind>penSabc> at marriages here
indeed its use is the exception rather than the
rule, which fact we may accept as further
evidence Of early Purtanic influence. Butler
in "lIu,iibra>" says OF the purlanS:
''Oher> We're for abo>hu~
That tool of matrimony, Il ring.
With which the nn>anctilicd bridegroom,
Is marry'd only to thumb
According to Mr.. Dyer there is Very strong
prejudice i'll England against being married
without ring Of gold. and that it would be no
easy task to find IA couple brave enough to act
in opposition to this universal superstition
English parties have made considerable ulii-
tions to their incomes by letting out rings to
persons of limited means about to marry. who
returned them after the ceremony.
Among The old-time customs W hich have been
allowed 10 fall into ''innocuous dc>uetude' is
is. >ercnadng them after the manner of the
fathers | believe there was no custom a>
common here a> this quarter of century
and less ago that has ded out so completely.
In the good Old time, which in this case is past
by less than score of years. Il marriage was
certain to be made the occasion, within a few
nights after it was known to have been solemn
iZed. for the gathering at the home of the
couple of nearly the entire male
population of the vicinity. These ''Scrcnalcr>'
would be equipped with guns. drums, tife>. foe
horns. conch shells, sleigh bells and tin pans.
Old mill->aw> carried on poles and beaten with
cudgels by two men We're in great favor on
these occasions. In short, almost everything
movable was made to contribute to the pande-
Benedict was supposed to have
on hand good supply of candy, nuts. apples.
cider, and in the days of New England rum
visit, and as soon as Il cessation of the emusic
would allow was expected to invite them in to
partake of the treat The numerous practical
jokes perpetratc,l on these occasions under the
most favorable circumstances We're, no doubt,
most trying to the owner of the premises, but
were generally taken by him in good part. If,
however, the sercnalerS were not well received
the liberties taken by some of them would
usually afford sufficient ground for dozen or
so tir>t-cla>> suits at law. If. aS was sometimes
the case, they were refused admittanrc to the
house the visit would often be repeated night
after night usually with larger company each
visit, till they were invited i'm and treated or
became tired of the sport. Instances have
occurred here where the Serenatiing party be-
ing refused admission has forced an entrance
by way of the windows, and, in one instance.
hoisted the pig in besides. A wel-known old
time clergyman of this county was once spend
ing a night in this house when he was rudcy
awakened by the janging of sleigh bells in his
room. Investigation showed that his room
had been mistaken for that of a newly-wedded
couple who We're to he treated to serenaGlc
that night. If an old bachelor married or a
man took a second or third wife the company
Of serenaders was sure to be a large one and
the harity in proportion.
The ancient custom of throwing old shoes
after a newly-married couple when they set
out on their bridal tour is occasionally observed.
The object evidently is to bring the couple good
luck. | have seen it stated somewhere that
the custom originated with certain savage tribes
with whom it was customary for the men to